A Question Mark
by Dragonflies
Summary: Hermione takes a little walk after the disastrous ending of the Yule Ball. Dramione  One Shot.


**Summary: Hermione takes a little walk after the disastrous ending of the Yule Ball. Dramione - One Shot. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just like to play with 'em. **

**Enjoy, and please review! Thanks for reading, and have fun. ;)**

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I sat on the cold, hard steps for a few minutes, sobbing like a complete fool. Ron had ruined my evening. Why had I allowed myself to get so angry? I lost control of the situation as soon as that lump started to form in my throat. I should have never said anything, should have never followed him out of the Great Hall, screaming at him like some wild, crazed, lovesick girl. That wasn't who I was. That wasn't who I wanted to be.

Taking a deep breath, I angrily wiped away the last remaining tears and stood up. I walked slowly towards the open doors of the Hall and glanced around for Viktor but didn't find him. Neville was still on the dance floor, swaying slowly to the music with Ginny in his arms. As he turned, he stumbled a bit, stepping on her foot in the process. Afraid he had hurt her, he glanced down to the mass of bright red hair resting on his chest; she was fast asleep. He smiled, relieved she would never have to know. I chuckled. If only everything could be that simple.

I felt very tired all of a sudden. Another quick glance around and I turned to head back upstairs. I could explain to Viktor later why I had never come back. Right now, I needed to be alone.

Wandering the drafty hallways of Hogwarts, I tucked my hands underneath my arms and shivered. _Blast. I should have thought to at least get my coat from the table before I left._ Turning the corner, I continued walking and found myself in a particularly dark and deserted corridor. The windows here were beautiful, I noticed; floor to ceiling panels framed by old archways. The glass was so crystal clear it was as if nothing stood between me and the thick blanket of snow outside. Three large, dimly lit candles floated and flickered in the spaces between as the moon, full and bright, provided a bit of additional light, but not much. I walked towards one of the windows, my arms still crossed in front of me and blew a hot puff of air onto the glass. A tiny circle of fog immediately formed, and I traced a question mark slowly into the mist.

_"Something on your mind, Granger?"_

I jumped, frightened out of my wits and searched frantically for my wand. The voice laughed softly.

_"I don't think there's any room in that dress for a wand."_

I spun around and strained to see something in the darkness. A figure, clad in black, slowly stepped out of the shadows. As it walked towards me, a beam of moonlight crossed over its form, illuminating its face just long enough for me to recognize the light blonde hair and silver eyes.

_"Malfoy", _I sighed, relieved but incredibly annoyed. "_What are you doing here?"_

_"Same thing you're doing I suppose."_ Crossing in front of me and standing by of one of the windows, he stared out into the courtyard. "_Avoiding my date."_

I scoffed. _"I'm not _avoiding _my date. I just...needed to be alone."_

Placing his hands in the pockets of his trousers he nodded, his back still to me. _"Wouldn't have anything to do with that row you had earlier? With that git, Weasley?"_

I cringed, embarrassed. _"You saw that?"_

He turned his head to look over his shoulder at me. "_Granger. _Everybody _saw that."_

Sighing, I nodded in defeat. "_Brilliant", _I muttered underneath my breath.

I slowly walked towards another window, the soft clicking of my shoes breaking the silence. A sudden cold blast of wind passed through the barren trees outside and then skimmed the top of the ground, creating a small flurry of upturned snow in its wake. I shivered.

"_Cold?"_ he asked conversationally.

I gave him a wry smile. "_Are you always this observant? No wonder Pansy is so in love with you_."

Removing his hands from his pockets, he began to unbutton the heavy black cloak he wore over his suit.

_"She's not in love with me",_ he replied, shaking his head and concentrating on his fingers. "_Obsessed, maybe. But not in love."_ Slipping the cloak off his shoulders he held it open in front of him.

I stared.

"_Thought you were cold",_ he said.

"_I...I am_", I replied warily.

"_Well then_?" he nodded at the cloak. I was still staring.

Raising an eyebrow, he tilted his head, "_You know Granger, it's a_ _pity you don't have your wand. You could have turned me into a statue by now. Then I could stand here forever holding this."_

I cracked a smile, in spite of myself. "_Sorry_."

I walked towards him and turned around as he slipped the cloak over my shoulders. The fabric thick and heavy, the inside lined with dark green silk. It nearly drowned me, the bottom dragging onto the floor. I was so tired, and it felt so wonderfully warm, it took all my concentration not to curl up on the ground and fall asleep right there.

Malfoy turned me around, pulling the cloak at my shoulders in an attempt to fit it snugly around me. Another blast of wind howled through the courtyard outside. He stood back and nodded, looking satisfied.

"_Thank you",_ I said quietly.

Turning back to face the window, he returned his hands to his pockets again. We listened to the wind for a few minutes in complete silence. My eyes drifted up to the full moon, a sprinkling of some of the brighter stars twinkling around the edge. It made me feel strangely hollow inside.

"_He's an idiot_."

I turned sharply to look at him, his voice unusually soft and deep. He stared straight ahead, his silver eyes illuminated brightly by the moonlight. I frowned slightly.

"_Pouting like a child all night. Ridiculous",_ he muttered.

My face relaxed and I chuckled softly, recognition dawning.

"_Ron's not always so daft_", I replied, staring out the window.

He snickered.

_"He watched you all night from his chair. Didn't dance, didn't move. I don't even think he ate anything. Just glared at you and Viktor, sneering every so often."_ He turned to me. _Actually, I was quite impressed. He managed to pull off a few nasty looks. But that sneer only works for me. Doesn't have the same impact if you don't have the blonde hair_." He grinned.

I smiled back up at him, amused. "_Yes, well. Glad you were entertained. Happy to help as always_." My smile faded as I glanced back out the window. "_I wasn't fortunate enough to see those looks. Maybe if I had..."_

"_It wouldn't have mattered_." he finished for me.

I was quiet for a moment, before replying softly, "_Probably not."_ Turning to him again, I asked, "_Did you watch him the _entire_ night_?"

He waited for a second before nodding his head. "_Him_."

Another pause.

"_And you_."

"_Me?"_ I frowned again, shaking my head in confusion.

He turned slowly and leaned back against the window. Taking his hands from out of his pockets, he examined his fingernails. "_It was difficult for anyone to keep their eyes off you tonight_."

I opened my mouth to speak, but could think of nothing to say. I felt flush.

"_You really looked quite lovely_", he continued.

I shook my head, refusing to believe this was Malfoy speaking. Turning, I took a few steps away from him towards the shadows. "_I…I don't understand_", I stammered.

He sighed deeply. "_I don't expect you to_", he replied.

Closing my eyes tightly in frustration, I turned around again walked back to the window, where I stood directly in front of him. "_Is this some kind of trick_?" I asked angrily.

Looking up from his hands he shook his head and calmly answered, "_No. I don't have any tricks tonight. Sorry to disappoint_." I continued to watch him, my expression uneasy and suspicious. He laughed, but not in an unkind way. "_Check the inside of the cloak. On the right_", he said.

"_Why?"_ I immediately demanded.

He shook his head at me while pushing himself away from the window and stood to his full height. Reaching out, he opened the cloak and pulled out his wand. Raising both eyebrows he jiggled it in front of my face. "_See? I'm not using it. No tricks_." Placing it back in the hidden pocket, he adjusted the cloak around my shoulders again; the amused smile he wore slowly faded.

"_You have no reason to trust me_", he said softly.

My eyes were transfixed on him. With the moonlight at his back, his blonde hair had turned into an almost iridescent color; the silver of his eyes reflected the shadows behind me, dark and smoky.

"_I want to trust you",_ I whispered honestly.

"_Why?"_ he asked shaking his head in disbelief.

I smiled knowingly, and without thinking, placed a hand on his cheek, my thumb moving softly across the pale skin underneath his eye. "_Because there's good in everyone. Even you_."

His eyes widened at my gentle touch, and then, as though second nature, he leaned forward, cupping my face in his hands and kissed me. Even more surprising, I melted into his arms and let him.

After a few moments, we pulled away from each other, my eyes fluttering open in wonder. I swallowed before speaking in hushed tones, "_Are you really good, Malfoy?"_

He didn't answer, and instead turned around to face the window once more. I heard him breathe onto the glass, and then lift his finger for a moment, before facing me again with a gentle smile I didn't know he could possess.

I stood mystified as I watched him walk away back into the shadows and darkness. Shivering, I pulled his cloak around me tightly and turned to the window.

There on the glass, inside a slowly fading circle of mist, was a question mark.


End file.
